From e.g. EP-A1-No. 0 005 129 omeprazole, 5-methoxy-2(((4-methoxy-3,5-dimethyl-2-pyridinyl)methyl)sulfinyl)-1H-benzi midazole, a potent inhibitor of gastric acid secretion is known. Omeprazole shows a powerful inhibitory action against secretion of gastric juice (Lancet, Nov. 27, 1982, p. 1223-1224) and can be used for the treatment of gastric and duodenal ulcers. Omeprazole is however susceptible to degradation/transformation in acid reacting and neutral media. The half-life of omeprazole in water solutions at pH-values less than four is shorter than ten minutes. Also at neutral pH-values the degration reaction proceeds rapidly, e.g. at pH=7 the half-life of omeprazole is about 14 hours, while at higher pH-values the stability in solution is much better (Pilbrant and Cederberg, Scand. J. Gastroenterology 1985; 20 (supp. 108) p. 113-120). The stability profile is similar in solid phase. The degradation of omeprazole is catalyzed by acidic reacting compounds and is stabilized in mixtures with alkaline reacting compounds. The stability of omeprazole is also affected by moisture and organic solvents.
From what is said about the stability properties of omeprazole, it is obvious that an oral dosage form of omeprazole must be protected from contact with the acid reacting gastric juice in order to reach the small intestine without degradation.
In human pharmacological studies it was found that the rate of release omeprazole from a pharmaceutical dosage form can influence the total extent of absorption of omeprazole to the general circulation (Pilbrant and Cederberg, Scand. J. Gastroenterology 1985; 20 (suppl. 108) p. 113-120). A fully bioavailable dosage form of omeprazole must release the active drug rapidly in the proximal part of the gastrointestinal canal.
In order to obtain a pharmaceutical dosage form of omeprazole which prevents omeprazole from contact with acidic gastric juice, the cores must be enteric coated. Ordinary enteric coatings, however, are made of acidic compounds. If covered with such a conventional enteric coating, omeprazole rapidly decomposes by direct or indirect contact with it, with the result that the preparations become badly discolored and lose in omeprazole content with the passage of time.
In order to enhance the storage stability the cores which contain omeprazole must also contain alkaline reacting constituents. When such an alkaline core is enteric coated with an amount of a conventional enteric coating polymer such as, for example, cellulose acetate phthalate, that permits the dissolution of the coating and the active drug contained in the cores in the proximal part of the small intestine, it also will allow some diffusion of water of gastric juice through the enteric coating into the cores, during the time the dosage form resides in the stomach before it is emptied into the small intestine. The diffused water of gastric juice will dissolve parts of the core in the close proximity of the enteric coating layer and there form an alkaline solution inside the coated dosage form. The alkaline solution will interfere with the enteric coating and eventually dissolve it.
An enteric coated dosage form of omeprazole was reported by Pilbrant and Cederberg, in the above cited Scand. J. Gastroenterology 1985; 20 (suppl. 108) p. 113-120. The publication describes a conventional enteric coated dosage form and states that it has an acceptable storage stability--for clinical studies. It was later found that the stability of this dosage form was insufficient during long-term storage required for a marketed pharmaceutical dosage form.
If a conventional formulation of omeprazole is made, the stability is not satisfactory, particularly in resistance to humidity, and special moisture-proof packing has been adopted to minimize the troubles. However, this provides no satisfactory solution to the problems in today's drug distribution system, and also leads to increased costs. Under the circumstances, there has been a demand for the development of new enteric preparations of omeprazole with better stability.
In DE-A1-No. 3046 559 a way to coat a dosage form is described. First the dosage form is coated with a water insoluble layer containing microcrystalline cellulose and then with a second enteric coating with the aim to achieve a dosage form which releases the active drug in the colon. This method of preparation will not give the desired release of omeprazole in the small intestine.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,540,979 describes an enteric coated oral dosage form, where the enteric coating is combined with a second and/or first coating of a water insoluble "wax" layer. This method of preparation is not applicable on cores containing omeprazole since direct contact between substances such as cellulose acetate phthalate (CAP) and omeprazole causes degradation and discolouration of omeprazole.
DE-B2-No. 23 36 218 describes a method to produce a dialysis membrane consisting of a mixture of one or more conventional enteric coating polymers and one or more insoluble cellulose derivatives. Such a membrane will not give a proper protection of omeprazole in gastric juice.
DE-A1-No. 204 363 describes a three-layer coating procedure. The first layer is soluble in gastric but is insoluble in intestinal juice. The second is water soluble regardless of pH and the third layer is an enteric coating. This preparation as well as the preparation described in DE-A1-No. 1 617 615 result in a dosage form which is not dissolved in gastric juice and which only dissolves slowly in intestinal juice. Such preparations cannot be used for omeprazole, where a rapid release of the drug in the small intestine is needed.
DE-A1 No. 12 04 363 describes coating with three layers to achieve release of a drug in the ileum, an aim which is outside the scope of the present invention.
GB-A-No. 1 485 676 describes a way to obtain a preparation, which effervesces in the small intestine, by enteric coating a core containing the active drug and an effervescing system such as a combination of carbonate and/or bicarbonate salt and a pharmaceutically acceptable acid. The formulation cannot be adopted for a pharmaceutical dosage form containing omeprazole, as the presence of an acid in contact with omeprazole in the cores would give a result that omeprazole was degraded.
WO No. 85/03436 describes a pharmaceutical preparation, wherein cores containing active drugs mixted with for instance buffering components such as sodium dihydrogenphosphate with the aim of maintaining a constant pH and a constant rate of diffusion, are coated with a first coating which controls the diffusion. This formulation cannot be adopted for omeprazole where a rapid release in the small intestive is wanted. Direct application of an enteric coating onto the cores would also adversely influence the storage stability of such dosage forms containing omeprazole.